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Pepco’s Customer Relief Fund and Aid Programs Support Families This Summer

As we head through another hot summer, many families are feeling the impact of higher energy bills. Pepco wants customers to know that help is available. In 2024, Pepco connected more than 42,000 customers to over $39 million in energy assistance—and those programs are continuing this year.

Pepco Customer Relief Fund

Pepco has created a Customer Relief Fund that provides up to $300 in assistance to eligible limited- and moderate-income households. Administered by the Salvation Army, approved grants are directly credited to customer accounts.

Maryland customers can learn more and apply at pepco.com/ReliefMD District customers can visit pepco.com/ReliefDC

Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP / LIHEAP)

Maryland residents may also qualify for the Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), part of the federally funded LIHEAP program.

Provides a one-time grant of up to $750 (no repayment required) Applicants don’t need to be behind on bills to qualify Available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out

To apply, visit the Maryland Department of Human Services website or call 1-800-332-6347.

Assistance Programs for DC Residents

While DC’s LIHEAP funding is currently exhausted, other options remain:

Residential Aid Discount (RAD): Eligible customers receive a monthly credit on distribution charges. Arrearage Management Program (AMP): For RAD participants who are at least 60 days past due with a balance of $300+, Pepco provides a monthly credit for one year to help customers catch up.

For eligibility details, residents can check with the DC Department of Energy and the Environment.

Additional Resources

Pepco encourages customers to explore all available support tools, including:

Bill Support Programs for a full list of assistance and savings programs Assistance Finder Tool to identify programs tailored to each household’s needs

Bottom Line

If you or someone you know is struggling with summer energy costs, help is available. Whether through Pepco’s Relief Fund, MEAP/LIHEAP, or other local programs, these resources are here to help families manage their energy bills and stay cool during the summer months.

Pepco Launches New Customer Relief Fund to Support Income-Eligible Households

We’re pleased to share that Pepco has officially launched the Pepco Customer Relief Fund to assist income-eligible customers who are behind on their utility bills. The fund, which opened on Friday, July 18, is supported by Pepco’s parent company, Exelon, and is being administered by the Salvation Army.

At a time when many families are facing rising costs and financial stress, this new initiative provides much-needed support for those struggling to pay their electric bills. Pepco understands that energy is not a luxury—it’s a necessity—and is committed to helping its customers maintain access to safe, reliable, and affordable electricity.

What is the Pepco Relief Fund?

The Pepco Relief Fund offers up to $300 in assistance to eligible limited- and moderate-income customers in Maryland who are behind on their electric bills.

How to Apply:

Eligible customers can apply directly by visiting the Pepco Customer Relief Fund Portal.

Eligibility Criteria:

To qualify for assistance, applicants must:

Be an active residential Pepco customer in Maryland Be 60+ days past due on their electric bill Owe at least $250 Belong to a household with limited or moderate income Limited income: Up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level Moderate income: Up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level

Act Now — Funds Are Limited

This is a first-come, first-served opportunity. The Relief Fund will remain open until funds are exhausted, so eligible customers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Please help spread the word to neighbors, friends, and anyone who may benefit from this support. This is a valuable resource that can offer real relief to members of our community in need.

For additional resources, visit Pepco’s Assistance Programs.

Free Trees for College Park Residents — Save Energy and Support Sustainability! 🌳

Great news for College Park residents! Pepco, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, is offering free trees to help homeowners lower their energy bills and contribute to a greener community.

A total of 730 trees are available—first come, first served—as part of this eco-friendly initiative. Strategically planted trees can reduce your energy bills by up to 15-30% over time by providing shade during hot summers and acting as windbreaks during colder months.

🌱 Tree Species Available:

  • Baldcypress

  • River Birch

  • Eastern Redbud

  • Red Maple

  • Flowering Dogwood

📦 How to Get Your Free Tree:

  • May 10 Pickup Event: 200 trees will be available at Whalen Commons in Poolesville, MD, from 12–3 p.m.

  • Tree-by-Mail Option: 530 trees will be shipped directly to residents by the end of May.

🔗 Reserve your tree today at: arborday.org/Pepco

Before you plant, don’t forget to call 811 to have underground utility lines marked—it’s free and helps keep everyone safe.

Let’s work together to make College Park cleaner, greener, and more energy efficient—one tree at a time! 🌿

Pepco Clearance Work Underway in College Park Neighborhoods

Pepco, through its contractor Asplundh, is currently performing tree pruning and removal for power line clearance in various College Park neighborhoods. This work is part of their routine four-year maintenance cycle to ensure safety and prevent power outages. The scheduled pruning work will take place during September and October, with completion expected by mid-October.

The neighborhoods affected include Hollywood East & West, Daniels Park East & West, Oak Springs East & West, Branchville, Berwyn, College Park Estates, Kropps Addition, and Old Town. In addition to pruning, four trees are slated for removal due to poor condition or because they pose a risk to infrastructure. These trees include:

  • A Red Oak on Harvard Road
  • A Tree of Heaven on Roanoke Place
  • A Silver Maple on 50th Place
  • A Bradford Pear on Sweetbrier Drive

Pepco has coordinated with affected property owners for any line clearance work involving privately owned trees. The company will also plant replacement trees in the spring of 2025 to maintain the neighborhood’s greenery.

If you have any questions or need more information, please reach out to the City Arborist at 240-487-3602.

How to Report Possible Storm Related Damages to Pepco

Tropical Storm Ian will be moving through our region this weekend, bringing heavy rainfall and potentially high winds. This weather could bring down trees, causing damage to electrical equipment and resulting in power outages for residents. If you are a PEPCO customer and experience a power outage, please report it through one of the following methods:

• Pepco website: Report an Outage

• Pepco phone: 1-877-737-2662 to report an outage or downed wire

• Pepco text: “ADD OUTAGE” to 48710 to sign up for text service; then text “Out” to 48710 to report an outage

• Pepco mobile app: Apple or Android (download the app to phone)

Do not approach downed wires and other equipment; assume any downed wire or equipment is energized.

Please be vigilant and stay safe.

Pepco Appliance Recycling Offer for March

Pepco is offering customers $75 for a limited time for recycling their old working refrigerators and freezers. Customers must schedule their pick-up by March 31 and have their appliance picked up by April 14 to qualify. Customers can also recycle a dehumidifier or room A/C at the same time to receive an additional $25. Pepco’s Appliance Recycling program typically offers customers $50 for recycling their old appliances.
The Appliance Recycling program aims to save customers energy and money by offering a convenient, environmentally friendly option for getting rid of old appliances. Customers can also select the pick-up option most comfortable for them. Pepco offers in-home no-contact pick-ups, in which contractors pick up the appliance while maintaining a safe distance of six feet from the homeowners, or outside no-contact pick-ups, in which contractors pick up an appliance from a designated garage or outbuilding.
To schedule a pick-up or find out more, visit: www.pepco.com/ApplianceRecycling or call 877-743-3117.

Pepco Tree Line Clearance Work

Pepco crew performing clearing work

Pepco electric line clearance work will continue as Asplundh tree crews perform work in the Berwyn, Hollywood, Daniels Park and Oak Springs neighborhoods. Other neighborhoods where work is planned and may occur is Autoville, Crystal Springs and Patricia Court.

Pepco to Perform Tree line Clearance Work in College Park

Power line clearance tree work along Albion Road will be occurring very soon this month (July). The tree pruning will be performed by Asplundh, PEPCO’s contracted tree company.

Click here for a map of the planned power line clearance work in Old Town, Lakeland, North College Park, Yarrow, Berwyn, College Park Estates, Berwyn, and Calvert Hills.

PEPCO is beginning to plan for routine tree work to maintain required clearance from the overhead electric lines to provide for reliable electric service and reduce outages caused by trees.

The PEPCO planners will be working in all City neighborhoods planning for line clearance work this year, beginning in The College Park Estates and Yarrow neighborhoods. All trees, including those on private property, growing near the electric power lines will be inspected by an arborist to determine what will need to be done, whether pruning will accomplish the required clearance or a tree removal may be needed. Pepco arborists will leave a door hanger with contact information if a tree on private property is planned for trimming or removal. Residents should respond directly to the planner with comments or questions related to the tree work planned for their privately owned tree.

The City will be working with PEPCO planners to review the tree work plan and approve or deny work planned on trees in the public right-of-way.

[City of College Park]

 

Pepco and Energy Assistance Programs

Pepco is suspending service disconnections and waiving new late payment charges at least until May 1 and will be working with customers on a case-by-case basis to establish payment arrangements and identify energy assistance options. Customers wishing to contact Pepco and enter into an installment plan can call them at 202-833-7500 and follow the prompts below on their automated system, or visit their website at www.pepco.com.

More information on Pepco’s services during the pandemic as well as Energy Assistance Programs for Maryland/Prince George’s County residents can be found here:

Have a Complaint about your Energy Supplier? PSC Can Help

Maryland Public Service Commission will now share certain information regarding complaints filed by customers against electric and natural gas suppliers. The information will assist customers shopping for an energy supplier to make informed decisions regarding the selection of a supplier or to follow up on a contact made by a supplier agent. Maryland utility customers have the option of buying their energy commodity from companies other than their local utility (e.g., BGE, Pepco, Washington Gas, etc.). While the Commission does not regulate the prices competitive suppliers charge, it does license them and oversees their behavior in the energy marketplace to ensure compliance with the Commission’s regulations and consumer protections. The Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) investigates complaints received by customers.

This information, to be posted in a quarterly report here, will include raw data regarding retail energy suppliers that receive three or more complaints in a given month. The data will also contain monthly and cumulative totals of complaints received during the fiscal year, the issues alleged in the complaints, and how complaints have been resolved. In Fiscal Year 2019, CAD received and investigated more than 700 complaints involving retail energy suppliers.

“Maryland’s competitive energy marketplace empowers customers to choose a supplier that best meets their energy needs, but we are increasingly concerned about those suppliers who don’t play by the rules,” said Jason M. Stanek, Commission Chairman. “We believe that posting complaint numbers, similar to what is done in other states such as New York, will hold suppliers accountable and provide greater transparency to the public, consumer advocates, and legislators. While these numbers don’t tell the whole story of customers’ experiences with a supplier, it’s one more piece of information that consumers can consider when shopping for an energy supplier,” Chairman Stanek said.

In recent months, the Commission has increased its enforcement and oversight of retail energy suppliers, including taking action against a natural gas supplier (SmartOne Energy) for enrolling customers without their consent—a practice known as ‘slamming.’

The Commission revoked SmartOne’s license to do business in Maryland and levied a record $561,000 civil penalty. Four other formal complaint proceedings, initiated by the Commission’s Technical Staff, are currently in litigation before the Commission’s Public Utility Law Judge Division. Those cases involve Atlantic Energy Maryland, LLC; Direct Energy Services, LLC; SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC; and U.S. Gas & Electric (also known as Maryland Gas & Electric).

Customers shopping for electricity supply can review these Frequently Asked Questions on the Commission’s website which may help in the decision-making process:

Consumers with complaints involving energy suppliers can file them by visiting this link on the Commission’s website:

(Source: Public Service Commission)

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